Billie
by athrowaway
Summary: Good Grief.
1. Chapter 1

A/N - I _suggest_ you read my profile description before you read this fic.

 _Quite possibly my messiest, least thoughtful, and clichèd fic of all._

 _But it was just good fun, just something I enjoyed._

* * *

"It's kind of in the title. She is the Princess of hell, of course I will not harm a hair on her head!" both brothers wore grim expressions as Crowley raised his voice.

"Alright." Dean nodded casually, arms crossed. Sam turned his head to send him a confused look, though Dean was steadily holding eye contact with the demon.

"Now, I know where she is. The only reason I 'want' her is because on the 15th she will be two decades old. And on that day every demon on this godforsaken planet is going to know too." Dean noticed with a chuckle that along with the title came the fearful stress evident in Crowley, very feather-like in nature.

"And why would those demons want her?" Sam quirked a brow, finally lending an open ear.

"Well most of the time these girls don't even live to eighteen. This one is special. Because made sure she lived. Think of her like your good friend Chuck. Just not on heaven's side, but on mine. Ours." Crowley began pouring himself a glass as he spoke. "She's not a demon. Just a human with some special skills." he took his first sip turning back to the brothers, waiting for the expected reaction.

"So… she's a prophet?" Dean furrowed his brows, squinting slightly.

"No, no. The most important thing you need to know about her, about them. The reason they all die so fast. They're brave. And I mean stupid brave, there is nothing they will not do. It's stuck in their heads, can't change that. Their powers are… they're not under their control. They are hell's best warchief. They attract hellhounds like a damn junkyard. So just don't sit down on her sofa…." Crowley shrugged, the golden liquid in his glass swaying.

"That's how I got Juliet and Growly, anyway." Crowley muttered casually. "Biggest ones I've ever seen, and they were in her backyard when she was ten. Now please, imagine what happens when every evil thing on this Earth hears that damn microchip inside of her go off." The emphasis on his words grew with each that left him, and the gravity of the situation he was conveying came across just perfectly as the Winchesters exchanged a look.

"Now I would absolutely love to leave her to your care, but you are just about as big of a demon magnet." the demon looked from one brother to the other. "So, I'll say it again, maybe you'll hear it now. If she is with me, there are few things that'll come for her."

"Why didn't you let her die." Dean interrupted the breath Crowley took to speak again, his eyes narrowing. "No way you're going through this much trouble to 'save a life'. There's something you're not telling us." Dean took a step towards the king of hell.

"You got attached." Sam said quietly, eyes narrowing in a smiling manner as he spoke what he thought.

There was a heavy silence as Crowley dropped his head to look down at his glass, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Well free hellhounds, that's something you just have to jump at. Especially with the size of those pups. But don't you call me a sap. Whoever sits on that damn throne, they have to endure a bond, I don't have a choice." Crowley hissed his last sentence, voice growing from rather pitiful to venomous.

"There ever been a prince?" Dean chortled.

"Her name is Billie King. Yeah... you heard that right. She's in Rhode Island." Crowley sighed in defeat. "She still thinks I'm a nice banker that was friends with her father." Dean promptly snorted.

"Uncle Crowley." he nudged Sam in the ribs with his elbow, chuckling.

"Yeah, just try to survive being in the same room as her." Crowley spat, rolling his eyes dramatically.

"Yeah about that…." Sam frowned slightly. "How the fuck do you want us to do that?" Dean finished for his brother.

"Please, it's not that hard. As long as she is safe and well, those mutts will be snoozing. Purring like kittens. Hell, she doesn't even know they're there, so please tell me how she'll send them after your sorry asses?" Crowley tilted his head smugly.

"You're scared to upset her, aren't you. When you tell her the truth?" Sam stole the smug expression from the demon, arching a brow.

"Exactly." Crowley lifted a finger. "Good thinking, Moose. I would much rather do it in a safer environment…."

The two landed in the Impala when Crowley snapped his fingers with a smirk. It was almost like they were used to it, neither of them pulled a face, or said a thing. Dean simply started the car, hands on the wheel.

"You really wanna just… hand her over." Sam mumbled after some time, staring at the dark road ahead of them.

"Yup." Dean nodded. Sam did too, then. With everything Crowley had told them, it was the best option, the only option if anything. At least until they figured something out, or even better, Bobby called them back.


	2. Chapter 2

When the phone rang on the motel room table Dean was the one to reach for it, as Sam was in the shower.

Clearing his throat Dean held the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"You got her yet?" Dean rolled his eyes when he heard Crowley's slimey voice on the other end.

"No, but we're in town. We'll see her in the morning." Dean muttered sitting down on his bed as he took a sip from his beer.

"Time's running out, squirrel." Dean smirked slightly, he loved how nervous Crowley sounded. "And throw away your demon knife, will you? Like those mutts she attracts, she can smell danger coming her way."

"No." Dean said simply, shaking his head. Slowly, this did begin to feel like a trap.

But after Dean hung up, and the night was over, it felt real again.

"A… Kindergarten?" Sam arched a brow looking at Dean by his side as they stared at the building they'd parked in front of.

"Kind of ironic… right." Dean grinned, leading on the way inside.

At the front desk a young brunette with red glasses was flashed their FBI badges, ceasing to type on her computer when she looked up at the brothers. "We're looking for Billie King." Dean said simply, remembering their time issue.

"Is she in trouble?" her eyes grew wide, her mouth hanging open, looking back and forth from one 'agent' to the other.

"No, no." Sam smiled sedatively. "We just want to ask her a couple questions." he nodded and Dean smile convincingly too.

"Oh uh… she took the day off." the woman looked worried, looking up at them from behind her desk. "Her birthday, right?" Dean smiled, nodding and it clearly eased her worries. "Yeah, kids are all drawing her pictures." she smiled widely, jerking her thumb over her shoulder to point at a colourful door.

Dean was smirking the whole way deeper into the flawless suburbs.

"What?" Sam finally asked, squinting.

"It's just so ironic. This is hilarious, Cas should see this." Dean smirked.

But his smile dropped when Sam's head whipped around to look forward too. The car screeched, the back losing grip on the air, jumping, and falling back down slowly, a loud bang filling their ears. The hood was blowing smoke when they slammed the doors shut behind them walking to the front of the car.

"What… the fuck…." Dean's hands went into his hair as he looked at his bent bumpers, one headlight completely shattered.

"What's invisible… and _that_ big…." Sam mumbled, swallowing as he lamely pointed a finger at the giant dent in the car.

"So Crowley wasn't lying…." Dean nodded, almost impressed. "They really are like cats 'round here." he chuckled, walking back around the car to sit back behind the wheel. "Y'know last night, on the phone. Crowley said she had a 'trustworthy' demon with her, guard her. Said he'd stay out of our way no matter what. Sounds kind of shady, doesn't it?" Dean turned his head when he asked for Sam's opinion, the car hissing instead of purring as he drove again.

When Sam said nothing, Dean did. "Y'know, like something big is going to go down, and he wants his trusted little soldier out of the way…." he elaborated.

"Yeah…. Too late to haul ass out of town now, though." Sam looked at his watch. _Born 7 pm on the fifteenth of July, on the dot._

"Damn Kindergarten, puppy dog hellhounds. Kids love her." Dean listed, chuckling. "If these are 'signs' of the princess of hell being around, I don't know I'm starting to think hell is really the right side." he joked.

"Cherry on top, I bet you ten bucks she's wearing pink. Maybe a blonde, blue eyes…." Dean smirked.

"Fifteen says she's wearing white, mostly." Sam checked his wallet, smiling now too.

"Oh this just keeps getting better…." the car halted, and Dean had to bend his upper body to look out and up through Sam's window at the house. "Pink flamingos, look at that." he chortled. Dean walked over the perfectly green, flawlessly groomed lawn while Sam stayed on the concrete path to the door, and garage.

"Look at that, that's nice." Sam smirked at Dean, pointing a finger at the open garage.

Dean let out a loud 'HA!' as he put his hands on his knees to get a better look at the bright yellow car. "She's a real sunshine." he chortled at the car. "That's a 1969 Camaro, don't think you can afford that with a kindergartner salary…." Dean straightened up, raising his brows at Sam.

"Crowley probably gave it to her." Sam speculated, shrugging his shoulders at Dean.

"Ah, sweet sixteen." Dean jerked his head to the side with a grin.

When they both stood on the doorstep, Dean's fist raised ready to knock, Sam stopped him extending an arm. Dean's eyes followed his brother downwards at the door mat, brown with big black letters spelling 'Wipe 'em!'. Dean watched as Sam knelt down, lifting up the edge. He flipped it around.

"Or I'll cut them off?" Dean frowned down at his brother, still amused, though slightly unnerved.

Sam shrugged, flipping the mat again, and Dean immediately began wiping his shoes, causing Sam to chuckle. Though he did the same while Dean knocked.

As Dean straightened his black tie, Sam reached into his jacket, readying the right badge. The door opened quickly, the whole way. "Get inside, no need for the badges." the man that opened the door jerked his head, motioning for them to pass as he stepped aside, holding the perfectly painted stark white door open.

"So you're Corban, huh?" Dean muttered as he walked past the demon who nodded while Sam followed. Once the door closed both brothers turned to face him. "You look like shit." Dean chuckled, raising his brows. He had dark blonde hair, and light brown eyes, under which were heavy bags. He looked pale, clearly unnaturally so.

"You try keeping up with her." the demon deadpanned tiredly.

Both brothers had the same reaction, head moving back slightly, a brow arched and a lopsided mouth.

"So…" Dean rocked on his feet slightly, looking down the hall they were in.

"Kitchen." the demon shrugged, nodding just barely. It looked like he was somewhat glad to get a break, but too tired to truly care.

They saw her back first, and no money was exchanged. She had brown hair in a long braid that looked days old, the shirt she wore was something between red and purple, darker, long sleeves, tight, and holes exposing her shoulders and olive skin. Blue jeans, and brown boots that went halfway up her shins.

"Listen, Corban. I don't know which foundation I need to donate to to help you but-" she turned around, a big, shiny knife in her hand pointing at the Winchesters. Her face clearly fell, a startled, embarrassed and frozen expression on her face, big blue eyes widening as she looked at the two, her mouth hanging open.

Dean cleared his throat, hands in his pockets, he looked down to hide his amusement.

"I'll go get that milk now…." the brothers heard the demon mutter like a disgruntled teenager behind them, and the door open and slam.

"My name's Sam, and this is my brother Dean." Sam started, smiling slightly too as Dean looked back up, collecting himself.

"We're uh, friends of Crowley." Dean nodded affirmatively.

"Who?" she put down the knife onto the counter, next to the vegetables she was using it on, never taking her eyes off of them.

"Uh… balding, short, wears a lot of black, too much black if you ask me." Dean winked at her. Her expression remained unchanged, furrowed brows and narrowed eyes, confusion and some affrontation. "British accent." Sam sighed before giving Dean a look from the corner of his eyes.

"Oh." She nodded, her mouth forming the shape of the word, eyes smiling.

"Yeah Uncle Fergus." she nodded further, turning her back on them again to grab a cloth and wipe her hands clean. Dean bit back a snort at that before he glanced at the clock and the brothers exchanged a knowing look. Dean looked through a doorless entrance into the living room. The place looked rather different on the inside. Not much was bright, sure the walls were a yellowish white, but there was no pink, or happy yellow. It just looked average, though a few things here and there sure seemed out of place. Like the full rack of _real_ fancy looking butcher knives above the stove. Plus, Dean swore he'd felt something on his leg when they entered the kitchen….

She turned around, a few strands free of the braid framing her face, swaying as she shook Sam's hand with a smile before she did Dean's.

"You work with him?" she raised her brows, still smiling charmingly. Dean thought his knees were weakening, but not in the usual way when an attractive woman smiled at him. Not that she wasn't, but there was a sincerity in her eyes, she was a complete blank slate, innocent.

"Uh… yeah, you could say that." Sam smiled nervously, exposing too many teeth for it to be true.

"I do not want another damn car." she pointed a finger, her brows furrowing with her eyes narrowing playfully. "Tell the bastard that." she looked from one Winchester to the other.

"Oh, yeah. No car, got it." Dean smirked nodding.

"Are you staying for dinner?" she tilted her head, smiling invitingly and all Dean could think was 'stop'. He'd imagined the smile of the woman Crowley had described to be unsettling, but she made hellhounds sound nice. Her smile almost made him lose the ever present feeling the beast den this house was gave him.

"Yeah, sure." Sam nodded making Dean's eyes widen slightly when he was sure she wasn't looking. "Crowley sent us, he was called in last minute for overtime, didn't want you to be alone today."

 _Damn, Sam,_ was all Dean could think. _You're a good liar these days._

"Coffee, or beer?" she bent her knees slightly, smiling crookedly and excitedly.

"Beer." "Coffee." The brother's nodded synchronically.

She nodded, and turned around to the fridge, with one hand opening it and with the other reaching over to a counter to flip a switch on the coffee machine.

Sam and Dean sat down at the kitchen island beside them, elbows on the counter. The bottle hissed when she opened it and it was slid across the expansive marble over to Dean before she turned back around to the bubbling coffee machine.

"Elbows off the table, boys. It's 2010." she mumbled absentmindedly in a sing-song voice as she looked through a cupboard.

Sam chuckled quietly leaning back on his stool, folding his hands on his lap. He nudged Dean's elbow when Dean didn't move, his elbow falling off the island, the beer held up to his lips spilling slightly.

"Damn it." Dean grunted giving Sam a glare as he attempted wiping at the shirt of his suit with his hand.

The brother's heard some cursing through the open window in the kitchen, both their heads turning. "Do you fuckers have to sleep on the doorstep the moment I leave?" They could barely make out the demon's voice, just before the door opened. They heard it, it was obvious when his shoes met the parquette, he had to make a _big_ step to get inside. She clearly hadn't heard it, as the coffee machine was singing away in front of her while she pulled out a flawless white cup.

"Milk? Sugar?" She asked over her shoulder as the demon marched into the kitchen from behind the brothers. "Just a little milk, thanks." Sam nodded.

A plastic bag was placed on the island in front of them, the Demon standing on their left side next to Sam, pulling one grocery item after the other out of the bag.

Dean watched him with amusement while he stored everything in various places in the kitchen. A demon packing groceries for some 'almost human' girl, that's gotta hurt….

The show was interrupted for him however, when his phone rang in his pocket. "Sorry, gotta take this." He said as he got up, and walked out back into the hall. Sam chuckled as he looked over his shoulder, watching Dean never lift a foot of the ground but instead slowly and carefully slide them along, clearly careful not to meet some surprise furball.

"Anything else you need me to do?" Sam frowned slightly when Corban stepped close to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She turned her head and Sam saw her beautiful profile, her lips slightly parted and plump, some hair hanging into her face. As she looked at him her face slowly scrunched up, brows furrowing and forehead contorting with them, lips tightening as she did.

"Your face looks like someone tried putting out a forest fire with a bicycle chain. You alright?" she took a step back to look at him better, his hand falling off her shoulder.

"Oh uh… yeah… I just- gotta take care of something. Sam, can you help me out?" He walked suddenly, walking into the living room, giving Sam a look with widened eyes, telling him it was important.

"Yeah sure." Sam nodded slightly suspicious as he got up and followed the fast and long strides of the demon.

He was quickly very close to the demon once they rounded a corner, the demon's voice nervous, hushed, and fast-paced.

"She's starting to see my real face, has for some time now. You guys really need to hurry your asses…" the demon licked his lips, his eyes wide with restlessness.

"I've been doing everything I can to avoid her. She's giving me the worst chores, man. Last night I had to beg her to think of something. I had to go to fucking Alaska." he hissed.

Sam couldn't help but chuckle, his face twisting slightly with a poor attempt at hiding it.

"What's the best way to get her to come with us, then? I mean you seem to know her pretty well." Sam offered a slight shrug.

"I don't care, tell her it's a surprise birthday party, something. Or get your loverboy brother to woo her, god knows I heard what he's been thinking about her." the demon's voice grew more hushed.

"You're scared of her, aren't you?" Sam smirked smugly, quieting his voice too.

"Listen, she even so much as thinks I might hurt her, every damn hellhound in this house is going to turn me into dust. So yes, I'd prefer not pissing her off." the blonde explained with displeasure.

"Soon as you get her out of this house I'm running for the hills." he said finally, turning around back into the kitchen, leaving Sam to simply shake his head.

When he followed Dean was already back at the counter, and there was a cup of coffee where Sam had been sitting, steam rising from the liquid.

Billie was sitting a pot on the stove, and as Sam sat down while Corban walked through the kitchen he watched exactly where he walked in a zigzag path.

"So you work at the kindergarten?" Sam asked casually as he glanced at Dean sitting beside him reading a newspaper.

"Part-time, yes. Lord knows I got enough work at the hospital, but… I worked there first, once my class graduates I'll quit. Can't leave 'em like that, y'know." She mumbled absentmindedly. At her latter sentence the brothers exchanged a pitiful look.

After some silence, Sam heard Dean sniffing loudly. "Hey, what smells so good…" Dean smiled.

She turned around, wiping her hands again on the same red checkered towel she'd used previously.

"Apple pie…. I don't know, I hate it. But I just felt like making it." she shrugged her right shoulder. She smiled at them, but the Winchesters had completely different expressions on their faces. Sam swallowed thickly, and Dean's brows were raised his mouth hanging open just barely as he put down the newspaper, leaning back in his chair.

Her shiny blue eyes were now a lavender share, the squint in them from her smile doing a terrible job at hiding it.

"Um…." Sam leaned back in his chair slightly.

Her smile dropped slowly, a frown replacing it.

"Something wrong?" she arched a brow in an unnerved manner that seemed to snap the brothers out of it.

"Oh no, it's just… smells so good." Dean saved them, nodding with a false smile, picking back up the newspaper quickly.

"Actually, I'm not feeling too good, could you excuse us." Sam smiled reassuringly as he quickly patted Dean's shoulder to signal him to follow him as he got up.

Again, they left the kitchen behind to stand in the hall close to each other and speaking in a hushed tone.

"What's happening?" Dean asked immediately, eyes widening.

"I don't know, but… what does red and blue make?" Sam held up his hands, clearly unsure in his own theory.

"Bobby called, Cas is with him. _Apparently_ everything Crowley said checks out." Dean said in a tone of amazement and disbelief.

"Except." he held up a finger interrupting Sam before he even got out a word.

"'Princess of hell' is just a cutesy nickname Crowley gave her. She is a quote in the bible come to life, basically. Bobby said she's like that oracle from 300. Every little soldier listens to her if they can hear her. 'Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.' Also translated as ' _Her feet go down to death; Her steps take hold on the nether-world.'_ " Dean explained with exaggerated hand gestures and expressions.

"And here's the real kicker. She's higher in rank down there than Crowley, because her place is eternal, can't be shoved off her throne. If she dies, another one will be born." Dean pressed on his eyes darting around the room.

"So you think this whole… girl next door thing is an act?" Sam frowned suspiciously, nodding.

"No, that's the thing. I don't. We get this girl on our side, like Crowley said, that's the best thing we got. Even Cas agrees."

"Are they positive about all this though? Are those facts or just guesses?" Sam questioned, raising his brows.

"Only one way to find out." Dean lifted and dropped his arms back to his sides.

Sam looked at his watch before following Dean back into the kitchen, until he had a thought. And while Dean was just in reach he pulled him back into the hall.

"I know how we get her on our side, and ours only." Sam whispered pressingly as he nodded. Dean raised his brows urging for him to continue.

"Crowley lied to her, I mean for all we know, he's lied to her her entire life. And so far we haven't." Sam didn't have to continue, his look clearly suggesting his point as he nodded.

"Good plan." Dean lifted a finger, promptly turning and marching back into the kitchen.

Few minutes later without any interruptions or whispering, Dean had puffed cheeks, chewing, and groaning.

"This just might be the best pie I've ever eaten." Dean pointed at the few remains of his slice with his fork.

She was quiet, leaning her upper body on the island across from them, hands folded, elbows holding her up. She glanced at Sam brows raised a small smile lifting her cheeks and the corner of the tightly closed lips. Sam shrugged apologetically. But he was focused on her eyes when she looked back at Dean scarfing down his pie as if she couldn't look away. They were slowly, very slowly growing a deeper and deeper shade, clearly transitioning from blue to red, proving Sam's theory right. It was just barely not slow enough for him not to notice. And when Sam glanced at his watch it was only 3 pm.

"You know… it's weird…. I don't remember having a full fledged apple tree in my backyard. But I guess I haven't been there in a while." she commented looking at her hands was she rubbed them together slowly, one hand inside the other.

"Yeah? Why?" Sam quipped, body jolting slightly as the questions left him.

"I don't know, it seems cursed almost. I had the tile back there replaced a dozen times, and I still trip all the time. And I paid them extra to pay more attention and make them more even." she shrugged slightly as it clearly didn't matter to her anymore by now.

Dean stopped chewing then, swallowing the contents of his mouth noisily, watching both her and Sam's attention.

"Maybe a jokester ghost." he played it off well as a joke smiling as he nodded.

It fell fast when her express remained unchanged.

"Don't joke about ghosts. I believe in the supernatural, don't you?" She looked from one man to the other again. Sam straightened in his seat uncomfortably, but Dean knew just what to say.

"Oh believe me, sweetheart. We're big believers." he nodded, smiling reassuringly and knowingly as he did.

"So uh, what's your plan for today? Any celebrations?" Sam quickly changed topic, very convincingly too, with a curious smile on his face.

"Not much, maybe finally get Corban out of this damn house." She let out an amused sigh, smiling guiltily.

"Ah yeah… Corban, about that." Dean pushed away his empty plate, leaning his elbows on the counter and folding his hands.


	3. Chapter 3

Crowley knew she was coming, and he was pacing back and forth on the dark road. He knew she was coming, because Juliet, nor Growley were coming or listening. He wrung his hands, licked his lips. It was eight.

When he saw the light in the distance he paused, standing still and straight. There was only going to be one car coming down this road tonight, he'd made sure. He loosened his tie when the lights began blinding him, his eyes averting, squinting and head turning to avoid the white light of the impala, only one of the two headlights striking his eye. He couldn't see through the windshield.

As soon as a door opened, he took in a sharp breath. He just barely saw her silhouette, and immediately he felt much more than her presence. He saw it in the way they walked, the way the two men shut the door, so casually, overwhelmingly smug. But they stood still, on their respective sides of the car. When she walked by the driver, strutting slowly she put a hand on his shoulder for a moment. All Crowley did was take in a breath, head cocking upwards slightly in a nod like manner before his jaw set. He should've known.

"Is your asshole jealous of the shit that comes out of your mouth?" Dean immediately whistled when she stood in front of Crowley, just about the same height, her chin tilted up too as she spoke, lips a thin line, brows set.

"Listen… sweetheart…" Crowley took a step back when he heard a growl.

"You don't know what you're doing…." he shook his head a nervous smile on his face.

"No, you listen. _Grandpa_. I don't have the patience, or the crayons to explain this to you. So, you're just going to do as I say, and apologize to these two, and Corban." her voice was calm, sounding as if she was dumbing everything she said for him.

Sam and Dean exchanged smirks across the Impala, Dean leaning his arm on the roof now.

Crowley took a deep breath through his nose, rolling his eyes like a child as his chest rose. It was Sam's turn to laugh when they heard the familiar growl of a hellhound and Crowley jumped in the middle of his breath, his eyes closing in surprise.

"Squirrel…. Moose, I'm sorry." he kept his eyes closed, pursing his lips.

She sighed though her throat, almost growling. "You're about as useful as a wet toilet paper roll…." her eyes darted from one of his to the other as she stepped even closer to him, shining red in the light of the headlight behind her. Her tone came from calm down to a hiss. "Their names." she drawled slowly, lifting her lips, growling like the dogs by her side, and around the demon.

"Dean, Sam. I'm sorry." Now Crowley looked right back into her eyes, gaze and voice just as threatening, though by far more furious.

"Cunt." it was just barely audible even when she was so close to him.

"You kiss your pimp with that mouth?" She asked, seeming almost serious as she leaned back slightly, brows raising.

"Oh this is just beautiful…." Dean muttered to Sam, shaking his head with a disbelieving smile plastered on his face.

"I hope your day is as pleasant as you have been." The put one foot behind the other, walking a few steps backwards before she turned around to the Winchesters.

"Take care of yourselves, boys." she looked at each of them for a short moment, nodding in a respectful manner.

"Wait… where are you going to go?" Sam looked at her, and then the empty spot where Crowley previously stood, and back at her, lifting a hand lazily as if to stop her.

She looked to her side, just barely down, and Sam felt surprisingly safe knowing she was looking at a hellhound.

"I'm not… sure yet." she looked back at Sam shrugging slightly, lifting the left side of her lips for a moment in a half-assed smile.

"You know… you're taking this pretty well. Too well, kind of weird." Dean commented from the other side of the car.

"Well….It's a little better than what I thought. He was grooming me for something that wasn't what I thought." she chuckled uncomfortably. "And… I guess I kind of always knew. The cracks in those tiles were a little big." she smiled broadly and they saw the jacket she now wore move, building a dent, her hand landing on top of whatever made the dent.

"You sure you don't want to meet our angel buddy?" Dean tilted his head, raising his brows.

"After everything you said…. I don't think that would be a good idea." She looked down at the 'dog' by her side.

"You know you're not on Hell's side just because Crowley thinks so. You have a choice, you made the right one tonight. You can do it again, and continue to do it." Sam explained, brows furrowed, something like desperation in his voice.

"I don't want a damn Camaro, I don't want any jewelry." She shook her head, a sadness in her eyes, obscured by her blood red irises. "Not a crown, not hell, not heaven. And whatever shithole is in between. But…" she looked back down at the dog, her hand still resting on top of the clearly large head nuzzled into her side. "dogs I can do." she shrugged, a sad but simple smile on her face.

"Alright…." Dean nodded, clearly reluctance and hesitation within him. "You call us if you ever need anything, you smell sulfur or-"

"Dean, I can see demons, I can see their real faces." she chuckled bitterly, though there was some sincerity within. "And Ferg- Crowley, he's not pretty enough to be this stupid…." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder.

"Listen, let's make a deal…" she trailed off, cringing at her last word. Shaking her head, she tried again smiling to herself. "Let's make a pact, I suppose. I need help I give you a call. You need a few friends," she patted her hand on the dog's head, "or got a demon up your ass, you give me a call." she nodded curtly. The two brothers nodded synchronically.

"I know things, guys. Now, at least. More than what you told me so…." She reached under the collar of her shirt, a silver chain glowing in the moonlight as she tugged, ripping it off her neck.

"If I don't have a phone, I'll know where you are, if you need me." she tossed the necklace to Sam. Once he caught it, he opened his hand to look at it.

"This'll protect you from these babies too." she patted the dog once more. "Doesn't matter who sends them. Unless… you lose your souls again, then not even I can help you." she shook her head apologetically, and somewhat casually.

"You stay in your lane." Dean pointed at her, smiling as he nodded at her. She smiled back, nodding slowly and continuously.

"I promise."


	4. Chapter 4

"Where is the **Barghest**?" It always sounded less like a question, and more like a statement when Castiel asked questions. Especially when he appeared out of nowhere, Sam and Dean both jumped, while Bobby remained completely still behind his desk.

They were all surrounded by towers of books, Dean had just about fallen asleep when Castiel appeared in the room. After driving all night, and now researching for hours, the brothers were both exhausted. And Dean was definitely regretting saying no to a coffee and yes to a beer instead.

"The what?" Sam rubbed his forehead tiredly, attempting to slowly blink away his exhaustion.

"The oracle." Castiel looked from one man to the next, his jaw set.

"Somewhere in Rhode Island…." Dean yawned.

"Why?" Sam began regaining some of his energy and attention, closing the book on his lap.

"You left her alone? Out there for anyone to get?" Castiel took a step, clearly attempting to suppress some anger, and failing. Dean straightened in his chair, lifting his feet off of a stack of books he'd rested them on.

"She seemed to be handling herself pretty well." Sam raised his brows looking at Dean for backup, but he only shrugged.

"What's a Barghest? I know it ain't french bread." Bobby spoke up.

"A hellhound, the only one like it." Castiel explained with a slow nod.

"What is this girl now? can you make up your damn mind, buddy." Bobby barked.

"She is many things. As there have been many before here, and they have all done different things. They all earned their own titles. Crowley is right, the best title for her would indeed be princess of hell. Though I find queen more fitting." Castiel looked around the room once more.

"What kind of things?" Bobby narrowed his eyes.

"Wipe out cities…. there isn't much this creature's history doesn't contain." Castiel mumbled, his shoulders twitching just barely.

"So you're telling me this hellbent bitch has done everything on the list of evil? And you let these two yahoos let her walk." Bobby stood up from his chair, raising his voice.

"Yes." Castiel nodded coolly. "They did everything right. Believe it or not, all bad that they have done was done by few of them. As they are reborn so to speak, the ones who have chosen to do evil are few and far between. It is good news that after at least a century finally one of them has lived to discover their power." Castiel explained as he walked to a bookshelf looking from one back to the next until he pulled out a thick book.

"The Beast of Gevaudan was last to do harm." he dropped the book on Bobby's desk, a small cloud of dust rising.

"The later ones that made it to adulthood never even attempted to use the power they hold in their hands." he flipped open the book, Sam and Dean now moving to look over his shoulder.

Amongst two pages of words was a large picture depicting a giant hound, not skinny or lanky like the usual depiction of hellhounds or the famed Fenrir, but nothing but muscle, big as a mountain.

"What about Crowley, you think he would've used her?" Sam questioned, tilting his head curiously.

"I doubt it. He would be killing himself. I believe the correct phrase is _folie à deux_." Castiel nodded thoughtfully as he looked down at the book.

"Folly a what?" Dean frowned.

"Madness shared by two." Bobby rolled his eyes.

"A phrase coined by the demon that caused this." Castiel's finger landed on the picture in the book.

"What? I still don't know what you mean by that." Dean shook his head impatiently.

"It means that once you tie a chain around the beast, you tie it around yourself. Wherever it goes, you will too. The good thing is nearly every monster can kill them. Demon, angel, skinwalker, doesn't matter. As they say, it takes one to kill one." Castiel shrugged slightly.

"So no matter what we use, we couldn't kill her?" Dean frowned.

"Perhaps Sam could, but I doubt it." Castiel gave Sam a short glance from his peripherals before looking from Bobby to Dean.

"She gave us this." Sam reached into his jacket, opening his closed hand in front of Castiel to show him the silver necklace. Both Dean and Sam had taken their time inspecting it on the drive to Bobby's. It was a globe, like a marble, encased in a silver pattern like a cage.

"You didn't put it on, did you?" the pendant disappeared from Sam's hand as Castiel turned his head to look left and right, at one brother after the other.

Sam looked over Castiel's head at Dean, jaw moving slightly as he glared at his older brother.

"Dean had a couple beers after he decided he was 'too tired' to drive…." Sam muttered, looking down at Bobby's desk like a child that knew it was getting its brother in trouble.

"Oh c'mon." Dean let his arms fall to his sides as he rolled his eyes upwards.

"You stupid son of a bitch." Bobby muttered in disbelief, and disappointment shaking his head.

"C'mon, it's a stupid marble, besides I didn't even really put it on, didn't close it." Dean smiled proudly, a 'problem solved' grin on his face as he looked from one man to the next.

"Dean. That 'stupid marble' is a bell, only evil can hear it. The chain around the _marble_ is exactly the chain I was talking about." Castiel hissed frustratedly.

"You mean…." Sam didn't need to finish, an expression on his face like he'd just witnessed a horrific car crash.

"Dean just got himself a puppy. Til the casket drops, his or hers." Bobby stared Dean in the eyes as he spoke.

Everybody stared at Dean, whose hands were on his hips now, head down, eyes too, his lips pursed and breath held.

"Alright I fucked up." He finally released the air he'd held in loudly.

"Actually… this just might not be too bad." Bobby glanced down at the book. "Most versions of Gévaudan say there were a few folks the beast didn't even look at. All friends, all family. Guess one guy wanted to try on the magic marble too." Bobby shrugged slightly, clearly grasping at straws.

"The problem is… where. is. she?" Castiel growled at the side of Dean's face. "Rhode Island, I already said that." Dean shrugged defensively, taking a step back from the clearly tense angel.

"No, you know exactly where she is. You are connected, better than the King of Hell is connected to her." Castiel shook his head bitterly, eyes narrowing threateningly.

"What? No I have no idea where she went." Dean took another step back, raising his own voice now too.

"Think." Castiel hissed, his jaw setting as he waited for Dean's darting eyes to pause on him.

"I don't know." Dean burst, groaning as he shook his head.

"Maybe you should… feel, instead." Sam suggested, crossing his arms, obviously anything but confident in his suggestion.

Dean pursed his lips tightly, reluctantly closing his eyes.

"New Jersey." Dean snapped his fingers, a grin suddenly on his face.

"Let's go, if she goes any farther you'll start to feel it soon." Castiel muttered, turning to start walking.

"Feel it? Feel what?" Dean paled slightly, grasping the angel by the arm.

"The bond. If you are… too far apart it may have consequences, on both of you." It was Castiel's turn to eye the floor now, when Dean let go of his arm in astonishment he finally met his eyes.

"She said if we are ever in trouble, that she'll know, and she'll come." Sam commented quietly.

"So what do we do? Stab Dean in the leg?" Bobby snorted sarcastically.

"No… maybe he can… make her think he's in trouble." Sam suggested.

"Yeah, go whistle a beast into my damn house." Bobby grunted, slamming the book on his desk shut.

"So the people… the things Crowley told us about, that wanted her. They didn't really want her, they wanted the chain." Sam frowned suspiciously.

"Most likely." Castiel nodded, seeming to agree.

"What do you think Crowley meant when he said she was 'stupid brave'?" Dean crossed his arms, arching a brow at the angel.

"Even without a… master, or a legion. In all of history this creature has never been documented to show fear. Never for itself, at least. It's why they have all died so quickly. Ghost breaks their neck, they're dead. And they will not hesitate to march right up to it."

"Great. Got a suicidal maniac tied to my ass." Dean cursed.

"You just had to play dress up." Bobby shook his head.


	5. Chapter 5

Dean fell asleep trying, sitting on the floor, leaning against Bobby's desk. He tried talking aloud at some point even. Nothing. Absolutely nothing, he didn't feel shit either. When he figured out where she was, every hair on his body stood straight, goosebumps rising and falling like a shock wave starting at his head when not only the name of the state simply appeared in his thoughts. He didn't see anything, but he knew how to describe it somehow. A foggy glade, the green grass wet and cold, She was there and he knew she liked it there, below the stars and the silvery moon.

Dean woke up with a start, jolting up, shoulders jumping, arms uncrossing.

"Don't worry, Dean." God her voice was gentle, it reminded just enough of his mother not to be creepy. Dean felt relaxed immediately, standing up to face her in the doorway, rubbing a hand down his face to wake himself up further.

"You parked 'ya hellhound outside?" Dean chuckled amused, sitting on top of Bobby's desk, folding his hands, elbows on his knees.

"I thought you needed me. So I brought… reinforcements." she muttered apologetically.

"It's fine," he sighed. "You know about the… the 'bond', right?" Dean winced embarrassed averting his gaze.

"Yes. I didn't think you'd actually… either of you. I thought… you'd be better with handling it than I." Dean nodded in acceptance, her soft voice music in his ears, though the apologetic, and ashamed tone like nails on a chalkboard.

"I'm going to be honest with you, Dean, like you have been with me." she began walking closer to him, until she almost stood between his legs, looking down at him. Dean didn't hesitate, but he was slow to lift his head and look her in the eye.

"You can destroy the chain. I know how, and I will tell you. But you need to know, I will be _free_." she said cautiously, as if not to frighten him, her voice still gentle as a feather, even when she emphasized her last word.

"I won't live forever, Dean. The chain just might…." she placed her hand on the side of his face, cupping his jaw with a gentle smile on her face. "Is that all that happens? You'll be free?" Dean questioned, swallowing.

"Yes. I promise." she nodded slowly. "You promise me something too." she tilted down her chin, waiting for approval. Dean nodded quickly, just barely moving his head.

"You dig a hole, deep as you can go. And you bury me in it. It-" "Wait what?" Dean interrupted, his hand softly wrapping around her wrist, removing hers from his face, holding onto it.

"If I don't die, there can't be another one. That's a good thing, a… very good thing." She released the word 'very' as merely a breath, shaking her head as if she couldn't believe it herself.

"I'll prove to you, that I am not lying." She took a step back, pulling her arm out of his grip slowly.

The back door to Bobby's place opened slowly, and Dean saw it. He _saw_ a damn hellhound, the thing couldn't even fit through the door. He just barely saw the glowing eyes, but height wasn't the problem, it was width.

"Look at me." she urged softly and Dean's eyes snapped to her. She was giving him the smallest of smiles, and a gentle nod, both encouraging.

"Do you see him growling? Looking at you at all?" She arched a brow, and Dean's eyes left her again landing on the giant in front of the door.

"He was there when you didn't wear the chain, when you weren't… cursed. He let you walk through that door in Rhode Island, because _I_ let you." She was in front of him again now, taking his hand off of his thigh, clasping it in both of hers.

"I believe you." Dean nodded, barely believing that he really did, but there wasn't a doubt.

"Now listen to me. You get a bug bite, I get it too." she pinched the back of his hand, and when Dean winced and looked down, she had the same red spot he had on her hand.

"So, break the chain. It's your job, you hunt monsters. I know I'm not one, but I could be." she arched a brow as if she was teasing with her latter sentence.

Dean breathed out through his nose swiftly, as if to laugh.

"There's too many men, too many people, making too many problems. And not much love to go round…" she shook her head with a sad smile on her face.

Dean's brows furrowed, cheeks rising as he smirked slightly.

"Did you just quote Genesis?" he chuckled incredulously.

She pulled a corner of her lower lip down, cringing. "I did." she scrunched up her nose, revealing teeth, causing Dean to chortle. "But it's accurate, isn't it?" She gave him a smile, tilting her head, knowing she was right.

"Yeah." Dean less so nodded than simply bobbed his head up and down. "Good song." he commented, wagging a finger.

"Now sleep. There is no safer place than here, right now, after all." she smiled brightly.

"Let me guess, you don't need sleep anymore." Dean arched a brow.

"Oh no, I do. In fact, only thing I really need. Food, water, no. Sleep, almost twice as much in fact…. More like a cat than a dog now that I think about it." Dean chortled when she had a confused expression on her face as though it had only now occurred to her.

"You'll find me outside." she dipped her head as she took a long step back.

"Outside? Why?" Dean frowned, almost startled.

"You'd be surprised, they're more comfortable than most beds…." she smiled knowingly. Dean nodded slowly in realisation, still some confusion left in him.


	6. Chapter 6

When Dean woke up with the sun shining through the windows, it was once more, unpleasant.

"I found her." Castiel said from the back of the couch Dean was laying on. "She's outside." He turned his head to look down at Dean who was slowly sitting up.

"Yeah, I know." Dean nodded.

"Do you know about this one too?" Castiel pointed at the end of the sofa, just as Dean moved his feet from there and onto the floor.

"About what?" Dean raised his brows high, widening his eye slightly.

"The hellhound." Castiel furrowed his brows with confusion.

"The- the hellhound at the end of the sofa….?" Dean kept his wide eyed expression intact as he turned his head to Cas, stiffly standing up, taking a few steps back.

"It's fine." Cas stated simply, moving a hand dismissively. Dean didn't relax, his shoulders lifted slightly, still tense.

"It's Billie you should worry about."

"Why? She's cool. She's outside, probably still sleeping." Dean shrugged, voice defensive.

"She may be cool, but the bond you share, if something happ-"

"Happens to her, happens to me too. I know, she told me." Dean interrupted with a shrug, sighing as he looked at the rug before the sofa. "Hey whoa!" Dean stood up, tense for a different reason now as he lifted a palm at the angel. Castiel was reaching into his coat, the shiny silver of his blade just barely visible as Dean had stopped him from pulling it out. The angel looked just barely surprised at Dean's wide eyes, paused mid movement.

"What did we just talk about?" Dean snapped when Castiel didn't say anything.

"I'm not going to kill her." Castiel said in what Dean guessed was supposed to be a calming tone, though it sounded more derogatory than anything.

"What were you gonna do then? If she sees you with that thing, that hellhound at the end of the sofa is going to rip you to shreds. And if you hurt her, I get it too. So tell." Dean barked angrily, dropping his hand, his point made.

"I think it is best if we lock her in the bunker." Castiel narrowed his eyes at Dean, letting go of the blade once it disappeared into his coat again, shoulders relaxing.

"You're becoming protective of her." Castiel tilted his head, narrowing his eyes further clear suspicion and thought in them. Dean took a step back.

"Well if she dies I die." Dean defended in confusion, there was something else Castiel was thinking about, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what.

"No, the bond, it's starting to affect you. We better find a way to free you of it, fast." the angel shook his head.

"Yeah okay." Dean closed his eyes as he shook his head, attempting to dismiss what Castiel said. "She knows how to destroy the chain." He looked back at the angel. "She wants us to… bury her." Dean hesitated to tell the angel, or anybody, Sam, Bobby. He was afraid, and didn't know why.

"She's smart." Castiel nodded, and Dean's eyes widened at how casually the angel took _burying someone alive_. "You think that's a good idea? Burying a twenty year old girl?" Dean gave Castiel a chance, a chance not to disappoint him. Dean had enough, he knew the answer even before Castiel ceased to look at the same rug he had. The look in his eyes was nothing but pity, not for her, but for Dean. It was the last thing he wanted.

"I'm going to wake her up." Dean growled and walked out the door. Once Dean slammed the door behind himself, the whole world seemed to change. Everything was green, the birds were singing, the rising sun painting the junkyard a bright orange. He saw them, the hellhounds, on top of a car with a dent on the roof lay a big hound, sleeping like the two others by Billie's side. She looked just like the young girl she was, and it pained Dean. Looking at her phone screen, knees to her chest, knuckles at her lip, a hound at either side of her. One was sleeping, an elbow of hers resting on its back, the other was sitting, looking right at Dean. Dean was walking towards her, but paused when he saw the hound's tail wag. He frowned in surprise, though continued towards them when he saw Billie look up from her phone. "Did you give Crowley my number?" She shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand, but still squinted up at Dean as he approached her. "What, no?" Dean ignored the hound and his wagging tail as he looked down at her, sat leaning against a car. "He called me." She looked down at her phone, brows still furrowed like she was still staring into the sun behind the Winchester.

"What'd he say?" Dean questioned suspiciously.

"Nothing, I didn't pick up." She shrugged. Dean saw that little bit of guilt as she shoved the phone into the pocket of her jeans, he couldn't say he understood, but he could humour her.

"This one's for you." Dean didn't know what she meant when she stood up, brushing the dust of the gravel off her jeans. The tension in his shoulders helped him understand though, when the 'dog' with the spastic tail stood up as well.

"Oh no." Dean took a step back, a nervous smile appearing when he shook his head.

"Oh yes." Dean's smile dropped when she looked up at him, expression more serious than ever. "He's going to protect you. See how happy he is to see you, that's because he's yours now." Dean glanced down at the hound hesitatingly as she spoke, squinting as if it would jump him any second. "His name's Ronnie. Sam's got Reggie. They're twins." Dean noticed the warning, though humorous glint in her eye. The 'don't freak out' look.

"Bobby doesn't get one?" Might as well ask, as if this wasn't crazy enough. Something made him believe her though, trust her, and he knew, and he thought about 'the bond', and he was convinced even without it, he would believe her.

"Who?" she raised her brows.

"Bobby Singer?" Dean pulled a hand out of his jacket to point at the gate of the junkyard spelling 'singer auto salvage'.

"Well if he's your friend I can get him one too." she nodded enthusiastically, a smile on her face that made Dean weak in the knees. It wasn't love he felt though, he didn't think it was the bond either. She was simply sweet, simply better than _this_.

"If you really think it'll protect him." Dean nodded sternly, clearly telling her she had to decide, and she better be right.

"He'll see it if it's assigned to him, though. So…" she looked down at the one sleeping by her right for a moment, her hair falling into her face.

"Oh you get the big one? Right." Dean chuckled pointing at the hound on top of the car by the edge of the yard.

"Dean… I control them." She reminded him with an amused shake of her head.

"This is Daisy she-" "Yeah the name thing is a little creepy…. They're not dogs, Billie." Dean interrupted her looking down at _his_ hellhound. The one she was talking about was a little smaller than _Ronnie,_ sleeping by her side still. "But they are… when they're not forced to hunt you down." Dean cringed a little when she put her hand on Ronnie's head, pulling at an ear gently. But when the hound leaned into her touch, he sighed, looking at the blue sky in disbelief.

"Okay but, if you think I'm taking this well, just wait for Sammy and Bobby to hear this. They're not going to be happy." Dean moved around his hound, keeping a healthy distance before he sat down on the hood of the beat up car.

"You know that I'm a danger to be around, because… all hell is after me. So you are in danger too, and with you, your friends. It's necessary." she crossed her arms, leaning against the side of the car, head low though still looking at Dean sideways.

"Yeah, I know." Dean nodded pitifully.

"So how do we go about this...?" Dean didn't want to say those words. 'Where, when, how do we bury you alive?'

"I want to say goodbye to my neighbours. To Crowley too…. And I want you to bury me on the mother road. Route 66." she chuckled quietly. There was a sadness, a hesitance in her voice. Dean only nodded, he wished he could do something else. Figure out another way, but if hell and heaven agreed that there was nothing else, perhaps even Dean had to.

"Anything else, you don't have a bucket list, or anything?" Dean raised his brows. It was worth a shot, making her last day, or week, or maybe even month on this earth just a little better. She deserved it.

"Well, there's a few things, but I don't think they're really worth it." she shrugged, a thin lipped smile directed at Dean.

"Oh, c'mon. Nothing?" Dean shook his head, grinning slightly. She had no reason to be ashamed, if Dean knew it was his last day on earth he had a long list of things he'd do, and wouldn't hesitate to. No use being shy in your last hours.

"I always wanted to learn how to do a cartwheel. Juggling always seemed really useless but fun." Her lips broke apart, revealing teeth in a bright smile.

"You ever try it?" Dean questioned curiously.

"Neither, no." she shrugged.

"Well, let's first get Sam and Bobby used to the idea of having pet hellhounds, and then, maybe Sam can help you with the cartwheel." Dean chuckled, looking at his watch as he stood up to head back inside. He heard the gravel crunch, not his footsteps.

"It's not gonna follow me wherever I go is it?!" Dean swiftly turned around, glad to see the hound keep a little distance.

"No." She smiled knowingly, as if Dean was a fool, and something about it made him happy. She was happy, wasn't moping like most people would be if they knew, or were planning their own funeral.

"You tell him to keep away, he'll stay away. Dean, he really is... a dog." Dean looked down at the hound, and it looked right back, red eyes, black nose and all. Its fur was so black the sun barely gave it any definition. Black as night, though its teeth shone, with their yellow tint. Its tongue was pink as it panted from the heat of the summer, looking up at Dean… like a dog.

"I don't like dogs either y'know." Dean gave Billie a deadpan look. "How do I tell it to keep away?" he threw up his hands in frustration.

"Like you'd tell a dog." Billie laughed heartily, shaking her head at Dean's difficulty.

"Okay, stay." Dean didn't have time for Billie's lightheartedness, hell maybe it was _this_ hellhound that dragged his ass to hell. So, he held up a palm, feeling the hot breath of the beast on his hand, it sat down, and Dean felt like a hero right then. Smugly he turned around, calling 'you're coming with', to Dana as he finally headed back inside.

"So where's… Reggie?" Dean questioned when he closed the backdoor of Bobby's place behind her. "With Sam, where's Sam?" she shrugged. Dean tilted his head as if to drop it, he should've guessed. She was still 'new' to this after all.

"Can I see his… dog?" Dean asked heading for the stairs in a hurry. "If Sam wants you to." he heard her take two stairs at once when she followed him up. Dean didn't panic, he wasn't scared for Sam, though just that freaked him out. He wasn't scared of a damn hellhound, wasn't scared of the one lurking around his brother unbeknownst to him. Dean made sure Billie was behind him as he knocked, so when the door opened she wouldn't see Sam.

The door to their right opened instead, Sam appearing out of the bathroom, a toothbrush in his mouth. "Morning Sam." Sam looked down at Billie, removing the toothbrush. "Morning." he smiled right back, though his only flashed across his face for a moment before he glanced at Dean, and disappeared back into the bathroom, tap turning on.

"I'm not seeing Reggie…." Dean heard her voice through her teeth as she continued smiling at the empty bathroom doorway. Dean nudged her and she dropped the smile, sighing when she turned to him. "What's that supposed to mean, Billie?" Dean growled at her quietly, for Sam not to hear. "It means I don't see Reggie." She gave Dean a telling look, wide eyes, lips a thinly pressed line.

"I gave you Ronnie because I think you can handle crazy…" Dean lifted a finger to interrupt her as she began looking around corners and through doorways, but she continued and he really wanted to hear it. "Ronnie's predictable crazy, but Reggie's just… unpredictable." Dean jumped when she whistled, already having expected the dog to jump out and maim him. It was like she was looking for a hamster or something.

"Are you talking about the Kray twins…?" Sam appeared from the bathroom again, flattening his bedhead with his hands, smoothing down his hair.

"Well they're named after them, yeah." Dean could only shake his head at Billie's bright smile. "Glad somebody finally noticed." she glanced at Dean, grinning.

"What she's talking about-" Dean began, sighing. "I bound a hellhound to you, to protect you. And now I can't find it." Billie finished for Dean. She was talking slowly, in a clear 'don't freak out but….' tone.

"Yeah and she did it to me too." Dean felt the need to weigh in, too. "But uh… mine's parked outside." he shrugged.

"We're gonna have to cancel those cartwheels until we find this fucker, sweetheart." Dean gave Billie a look of disappointment.

"I'll find him, don't worry." Dean almost thought the determined and defiant look on her face was cute, if only they weren't about to put 'lost invisible dog' signs up all over town. She stomped down the stairs, whistling once she got to the bottom.

"If uh… if those hounds are _anything_ like the Kray twins, this can't be good." Sam muttered once he was sure she was out of earshot.

"Yeah I don't know who they are." Dean shrugged, following her down the stairs too.

Outside amongst the cars, Dean could see her talking to both of the hounds that were still 'hers'. Both of them, the giant that had slept on top of a car, and _Daisy_ sat in front of her.

"Um… is she talking to… hellhounds?" Dean frowned when Sam spoke. "What, you can't see them?"

"...No." Sam turned his head to look around the junkyard further.

"Oh well that one that's Dais-" Dean stopped himself with a frustrated shake of his head. "There's only two…." he cleared his throat, lowering his head just as they reached Billie and her… pups. Dean made sure a car was between them however, just in case. Now that he saw the other hound even remotely closer, he guessed that was the one she had been petting on the night of her birthday.

"Do you want to see them?" She leaned an arm on the roof of the car between her and the brothers, giving Sam a soft smile.

"Yeah sure." the younger Winchester nodded to the other's surprise.

"Okay well, this is Daisy." She stepped back from the car, and as she moved, the two hounds appeared, one half the other's size, the larger almost going up to her shoulder. "And this is Sasha." she nodded towards the larger.

"And uh… how big is Reggie…?" Sam raised his brows high as he looked at the two dogs sitting still. He watched as the larger, licked its teeth before letting out a silent but wide yawn. Sam swallowed as he had the time to count teeth the size of his fist.

"'Bout as big as Ronnie over there." Dean chuckled, turning his upper body to point over his shoulder at the hellhound, still in the spot where he had left it.


	7. The original Idea, Notes, Development

So, before I copy paste my notes and all that I have written down during the week of my current fic, I'd like to say a few things.

I am immensely underwhelmed with how I wrote the character of Billie. The thing is, I always have these characters in my head so vividly, they're fleshed out, they have personality to the depths of hell. But with Billie, there's not even a hint of personality, at least I feel I wrote it so. I always struggle with writing my characters well, and still moving along the damn plot.

So I just want to talk about Billie for a moment. She overestimates herself hugely, I wanted to write a scene in which she can't do _shit_ , and has to depend on the Winchesters, and for her to have a moment of appreciation for Sam and Dean, and realization of her own abilities, or lack thereof. In the notes below you will see something like this, though still far removed.

I also struggled with making the relationship between the Winchesters and Billie realistic. I wanted them to like her, for them to be friends, but I limited myself to a short period of time, and therefore just didn't give them any time at all to become friends, and instead simply forced them to be friends. What a fuckup.

I wanted there to be a chapter in this fic of just Sam, Dean, Bobby and Billie having some family fun - doing what is on her bucket list with the limited time and money they have. For example: Get a tattoo. (gets a temporary water-stick tattoo from Sam) **,** I wanted them to do humble, human things. In the instance of this example, she would absolutely be happy with this. Just... cute, happy things. Before it all gets angsty.

In the fic it is mentioned that the absolutely made up, creature or phenomenon that Billie is cannot care for itself. Sure that was a pretty good excuse for a weakness for an absolutely over-powered creature, but I also felt it was yet another clichè to please myself. Anyway, I wanted the relationship between the Winchesters and Billie to develop something special in what she is. You'll see that in the notes too. I wanted her not to care for herself, but to learn to take care of herself, and be careful, for the Winchesters, because she wants to stay with them, and doesn't want to hurt them, by hurting herself. So it would in a sense - annul that trait of this creature/species.

In addition, below it's implied that Crowley did some pretty shit things to her for selfish reasons. Perhaps a twist of sorts for him to truly have evil intentions of using her, as one would expect. So I wanted her to be human, to have her downs, and her heavy-set weaknesses. Ah fuck it, let's just get to the notes.

School full of demons, all a 'set'. She disobeyed, or thought 'outside of the box' she was isolated in a room, or some shit. But going home, home to the neighbours that desperately wanted a child. It was what made her good, all that pain, it only made her kinder.

 _"_ _Sure there have been moments where I… wanted to hurt someone, make someone experience even the smallest amount of pain I went through, not to be alone. But I never did. I was too scared."_

 _"Oh, ok. I'll just give it to him when he gets back."_

" _Billie… he's not coming back…."_

Learn how to do a cartwheel. (takes a while)

Crash a wedding, more like sneak into one. (gets too nervous, runs for it after catching bouquet)

Hit a hole in one. (Takes all day, after nightfall she makes it, wakes sam and dean up by yelling with joy)

Get a tattoo. (gets a temporary water-stick tattoo from Sam)

Learn a magic trick (tape toothpick to thumb - Bobby's idea)

Dress up real fancy (Dean takes her to a drive in, they eat in the parking lot)

Learn to juggle. (online lessons, gives up)

tell a joke at open mic night (terrible joke, dean and sam hide in shame tbh)

" _What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh."_

Do 20 pushups (requires Dean frustrated support, and Sam cackling)

"Well... have a family was on there but, y'know."

" _Drive route 66 was also on there. And I want you to bury me on it."_

 _(old route 66, passing briefly through Kansas)_

"Dean " She said pleadingly. "I'm still young. At least i'm _supposed to be_. Dean I wanted kids. Someone I love more than anything in the world. I don't want a second chance, it's over, and I'm okay with it. Hope means little to me. This is real and I know I can deal with it."

" _I'll live forever. One day, inevitably I'll get out. And I know… I know already, I'll remember you, and I'll look for you. If not you, then your children, your grandchildren."_

Dean and Sam do their best to keep her alive, tell her **NO** , no stupid reckless shit. She thinks they care, she learns not fear but care for herself and them. And when they bury her alive she cries, and she begs, and they think that she's scared.

" _Don't think, and don't worry. If the time comes, you'll know what to do."_

" _Did he_ [Crowley] _just quote 'The Incredibles'?"_


End file.
